chumofchance

Sorry I don't know the bus routes or really any way of public transportation into the area, if you can get close to an amtrak station I think you should be able to go from there, but I'm coming down with some people from upstate NY... yeah, my name is will and perhaps I'll be able to meet you along with some others who regularly post on this forum on thursday!

Certainly being in Baltimore is a pro. You're in the middle of the Metro-polis, with DC, Boston, NYC and Philly close by to offer a weekend getaway or perhaps even in Washington an internship opportunity, in NYC a job opportunity afterwards... But more subtly, and I think more importantly, those who would be pursuing an MPP are those who want to impact practical political solutions, efficient government regulation for the benefit of all US citizens particularly those who suffer in the depths of poverty and ignorance. What better way to become accustomed to the trials and tribulations of the poor, the paradoxes of policy than to live in the midst of it. I'd rather be able to open my eyes and see than be sanitized behind a wall of ivy.

Hi, I don't know all that much about UMD, so I'll stick with the program that I too was accepted to, and the one that I'll will most likely be attending come Fall -- that is the JHU MPP. You're absolutely correct there is very little information about the program online, I know, I've been searching forums for what seems like weeks now getting an idea about the various costs/benefits to what seems like such an intimate program. But here are pros and cons as much as I can tell... PROS: *Intimate program, about 60 students per class, the ability to work directly with professors. *Required internship over the summer previous to sophomore year, there's a list on the website detailing where each one of their students spent their own respective internship *The ability to tailor your program, I personally am looking at Economic Policy and am excited to take courses within the applied economic department, the economic department itself, and the applied mathematics department. *Perhaps the best name in Health Policy in the country (I would say its top ten but I don't have any stats for that) *The department seems really helpful, I've spoken with the director and a student who is currently in the program, and I'm planning on going for the open house just to take a look *In Baltimore *Funding is there coupled with assistanships *Though I don't know how truthful this is the website lists that the average GPA is about a 3.6 with GRE scores in the high 1200s, from what I can tell thats about where UMD places. CONS: *Perhaps not as highly ranked as UMD, you should check usnews for that however *Expensive? This may be relative *Small program, can certainly be a con *Inability to take too many outside courses *Website really isn't that great to navigate Thats all I can really ramble out right now, I'll be at the open house on Thursday, perhaps I'll see you (and maybe some others who read this) there! Also, I'll let you know which program I finally choose.